


Boyf Riends 30 day Challenge

by confusedkittycat



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Baking, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Zoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2020-10-07 21:16:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20457719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confusedkittycat/pseuds/confusedkittycat
Summary: A bunch of little snippets of Jeremy and Michael falling in love.





	1. Taking a selfie together

“The penguins! Can we go see the penguins?”

Jeremy laughed. “Dude, calm down. We'll see everything, we have all day.”

“I know, but can we go see the penguins right now?” Michael asked. He was holding the zoo map up so he could see all of it at once, and getting some really weird looks from the other tourists. Probably because he was yelling about penguins.

It was a really nice day, and Jeremy Michael had decided to go to the zoo. Michael's favorite animal was a penguin, and every time they had come to the zoo when they were little, the penguins had ended up being the place they spent the most time at. 

“Give me the map.” Jeremy studied the map for a moment, and decided. “We can go see them later. They're all the way across the zoo, and we have to walk by the Arctic animals to get to the polar bears anyway.”

Michael gave him puppy-dog eyes. “But Jerry…”

Jeremy gave up. It was impossible for him to resist his best friend's puppy-dog eyes and pouty-face combo. “Fine. Let's walk all the way to the Arctic and then we can work out way back to the entrance.”

Michael pumped his fist in the air. “Yes!”

He giggled. He didn't mean to, it just kind of happened. Jeremy felt his face flush.

It was a really long way to the Arctic part of the zoo, and it felt even longer because they didn't stop to visit any of the animals. Michael insisted that they see the penguins first, and it would have been dangerous to convince him otherwise. 

Finally, he saw the fake-rock archway, and a small doodle of a penguin on a sign pointing to the arch.

“The entrance to the penguin exhibit is right over there,” Jeremy said. The line was made up of a few moms with baby strollers and small children, and a couple other teenagers he didn't recognize from school. 

Michael half walked, half skipped over to the end of the line, dragging Jeremy with him. 

“Dude,” Jeremy laughed, “why are you so happy today?” Normally Michael was in an average mood, but today he seemed almost giddy. 

“I’m at the zoo with my favorite person, and we're about to see the penguins.”

“Aww, thanks Mikey. Now scoot up.”

They watched as a lady had to pull her screaming toddler out of the line. The teens went into the tunnel, and then they were next.

As they neared the exhibit, a bored girl with a bright red ponytail and a T-shirt with the words zoo staff said, “Don't tap on the glass. Don't throw food over the glass. Don't climb over the glass. Don't reach over the glass. Any questions?”

They shook their heads.

“Have a flipper-tastic day.” She gave the panel-wood door a nudge, and it swung open. 

They stepped into the tunnel. On both sides of the path was a glass fence, about five feet tall. The penguins were able to pass underneath the pathway, because a small pool connected the two sides. 

Currency the penguins were all on the left side of the exhibit, huddled underneath a fake-rock ledge. 

“Hello little guys,” Michael called. He crouched down to be a little closer to the animals. “How’s it hanging?”

Jeremy just sighed and accepted that he was going to be here for a while. Michael tapped his fingers on the glass, trying to get one of the birds to acknowledge him. 

“Michael, no. Didn't you listen to the girl?” Jeremy didn't really care, and he knew that Michael would know he was joking.

“Ha, ha. Will you take a pic with me with them? Like we used to do?”

“You know I don't like my picture taken.”

“Jewemy. Please.” Michael knew him too well. Puppy-dog eyes could get Jeremy to do anything for his best friend.

He surrendered. “Yeah, alright.” Jeremy walked over to where Michael was now sitting on the floor and got out his phone. “Ready?”

They both smiled, and Jeremy snapped at least ten photos. Hopefully one would turn out decent. He put his phone away before she could look at them and get all self-conscious.

Michael noticed. “Man, you looked fine. Wanna go see the Lions now?”

Jeremy groaned. “Michael, that's on the other side of the zoo!”


	2. Sharing a milk shake

“Jeremy, I'm hungry,” Michael complained.

“Well maybe you should have eaten more for lunch.”

Michael looked over his shoulder and gave him an areyoufuckingserious look. 

“Hey, eyes on the road!” Jeremy exclaimed.

Michael turned back to the front of the car, and centered the car back into the lane. They had started to go off the road. 

Currently, Jeremy and Michael were on their way back home from a long day at the city zoo. It had been a few hours since they ate lunch, and both of their stomachs were growling. Walking around and looking at cute animals was exhausting.

“I'm going to have to stop somewhere. I don't even care where. How much money do we have?”

“I dunno.” Jeremy pulled his worn wallet (it used to be his dad's) and looked to see how much money he had left. He had two dollars, forty-five cents, a rubber band, and a gum wrapper.

Jeremy groaned. He'd started the day with forty dollars, but admission to the zoo was fifteen, and he'd spent another ten on lunch. Then, Michael had wanted some cotton candy, and zoo cotton candy was expensive.

“Two forty-five.”

“What? What's that going to buy, a slushie? I'm starving! I need sustenance!”

Jeremy laughed at his friend. “Mikey, when was the last time you ate a vegetable?”

“Ummm...I had some baby carrots at my grandmother's house last week?”

“I don't even know if that counts. Look, there's a diner. Maybe we could split a piece of pie.”

Michael adjusted his hips in the seat so Jeremy could reach his pocket. “See how much I have left.”

Jeremy reached over the center console and fished around in Michael's hoodie pocket. That thing was like an abyss of all things weird. He sifted through candy wrappers and ear bud cords, and eventually found the homemade duct tape pouch Michael kept his money in. 

The wallet was actually a gift from Jeremy a few years, during that phase where people were making everything out of duct tape. Jeremy participated in the trend, and looking back, he was kind of embarrassed about it. 

Michael still carried the wallet with him everywhere. He said it was because the color of the tape matched his hoodie, but Jeremy knew how sentimental his best friend was. It was kind of cute, if he was being honest. 

Inside the wallet was an excessive amount of spare change and a one dollar bill. 

“Dude. You have, like, two dollars. I thought your mom gave you money.”

Michael pulled off the highway. “They did. I spent it.”

Jeremy shook his head in disbelief. “What are we going to buy with four dollars?”

They saw a sign for a diner, and Michael got off the highway.

As it turned out, the only thing they could afford with four dollars at 'Nina's Home-Style Diner' was a single strawberry milkshake with whipped topping, and it took all of their money and some persuading. Nina seriously overpriced her food. 

Their waiter was definitely pissed at something, because she gave them a glare when Michael asked for another cup. Then huffed when Jeremy thanked her for the extra straw.

“No, nevermind. It's fine. Thanks,” he said, quickly. The girl pursed her lips and stalked away.

Michael unwrapped his straw and poked it into the cup. “This better be worth the last of my money.”

Jeremy smiled and then took a sip through his own straw. “Definitely worth it.”

Michael laughed.


	3. Grumpy morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, I'm tired.

After a long day of walking around at the zoo and spending their remaining money on a very good milkshake, Jeremy and Michael were tired. And by the time they made it back to Jeremy's house for a sleepover, both boys were exhausted.

Jeremy was getting nervous about Michael's driving, because he noticed his eyelids dropping a few times. He was also driving fifteen miles an hour beneath the legal limit, and that wasn't like him.

Pulling into Jeremy's driveway was a relief, because Jeremy knew that soon he would be comfy and warm all snuggled up in his bed. Of course he would have to shower and then maybe eat some more dinner so he wouldn't wake up at midnight, starving. Also, he would have to pull the twin mattress out from under his bed for Michael to sleep on. Maybe he could just sleep in the car. 

“You can shower first, if you want. It's your house.” Michael's voice snapped him out of his sleepy daze.

“Yeah, ok,” he replied, “Can you pop the trunk? My bag's back there.”

Michael hit the button. 

Jeremy carried both of their bags inside and dumped them on the table. Then he said to Michael, “We'll deal with it tomorrow,” and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

When he stepped out of the tub, dripping with water and already cold, he realized he’d forgotten to get pajamas. So, quickly, he shook his head to make his hair a little less soaked and wrapped his towel around his waist. 

Michael was already in his room, eating a pop tart on the twin mattress he had pulled from under Jeremy's bed, with the lights off. He watched as Jeremy fumbled around in his dresser, and hissed when Jeremy knocked his head on the door.

Jeremy decided that his best friend probably did not want to see his naked lower half, so he changed in the bathroom. When he was done, he threw his wet towel over the curtain rod and dragged himself back to his room. He hadn't thought it possible, but now, with a clean body, he was even more sleepy. 

“Hey!” Michael protested when be flipped on the light.

“I can't see,” Jeremy said back. “Can I have some of your poptart?”

“You don't like the brown sugar ones.”

“Oh yeah.”

Michael shook his head. “Can you please turn off the light now. I want to sleep.”

Jeremy flipped the switch and flopped onto his bed. “I'm tired,” he mumbled into his quilt. 

“Huh?”

He sat up and half-heartedly threw one of his pillows at Michael. “I'm tired.”

“Then go to sleep.” Michael threw his wrapper onto the floor by mattress, and Jeremy hoped that he'd remember to pick it up in the morning. He probably wouldn't.

“Yeah.” Sleep was probably a good idea, and after thirty minutes of thinking about every encounter with another human being he had today, it finally claimed him. 

~*(~)*~

Jeremy woke up to large hands shaking his entire upper body, which meant his entire body was shaking. And it wasn't pleasant. So, of course, he tried to hit whatever it was that was making him shake. 

He flung his left arm out behind him and randomly swatted the air, before something grunted. Oh.

“Gah,” he muttered, realizing that he had hit something solid.

“Duuuude. Wake up.”

“Sea fucking turtles. Ceiling fan. I’m a Lasagna.”

“What?”

“French fry my unicorn.”

“Jeremy!”

Finally he cracked open his eyes, and was immediately blinded by a bright light. He waited a moment, then opened them again. Michael had opens his window. He grunted and flopped over onto his other side. Michael was kneeling on the ground, and looked ready to hit him. 

“Jeremy. Wake up.”

“I'm up, I'm up. What time is it?” He complained.

“I dunno. Like seven.”

Jeremy groaned again. “What the hell? Let a guy sleep!” he closed his eyes, completely prepared to pass back out. 

“Jeremy!”

Jeremy forced himself to push himself up with one arm, so he was about halfway up off the bed. He glared at Michael. “What.”

“Can you make eggs? You make them really good,” Michael answered.

This was what he had woken up for? 

“In a minute,” Jeremy replied. He plopped back down and pulled his quilt up to his chin. 

Michael stuck out his bottom lip. “I thought you said I was your favorite person.”

Jeremy realized that Michael wasn't going to let him fall back asleep, so he gave in. Already missing his bed, he sat up, and stretched his arms behind him. 

“Thank you, Jeremy! I love you so much!” Michael said, kind of loudly. Jeremy saw his face flush red and he knew that Michael hadn't meant to be that loud. He was most likely just excited because Jeremy's scrambled eggs were the best. 

“Yeah, yeah.”


	4. Picnic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Michael's perspective!

A week later, Michael wanted to do something nice for Jeremy, because he felt bad about dragging him all over the zoo, and then waking him up early the next morning. He knew that Jeremy didn't really care about that and didn't mean it when he complained, but Michael still felt bad. Jeremy was such a good friend to him, and they always did what Michael wanted. 

He decided to plan a picnic lunch in their favorite park. The park was actually a long way away, because Michael wanted to make sure they wouldn't run into anyone from school. Not having to worry about the popular kids making fun of them would be worth the drive.

A picnic was a perfect idea, because it was nice outside, and it didn't cost any money. (His money, anyway. His moms would pay for his food). Michael was still broke from their trip to the zoo. 

He had everything that they needed in the house. An old blanket to sit on, his backpack to carry all of the food. Oh, yeah. The food. He did need to pack that, still.

He figured that the picnic would be a good surprise for his best friend, even though surprises normally made Jeremy anxious. Michael understand; they made him anxious, too.

First, he had to trick Jeremy into coming out of his house and getting into Michael's car. He texted him from the driveway. 

Me:  
Can you come over? 

PlayerTwo:  
Yea

Me:  
Great im outside 

Jeremy came out of his house two minutes later. He got into Michael's car without any suspension. 

“I normally walk. Why'd you come get me?” he asked.

Michael had not prepared to answer any questions. He mentally hit himself. 

“I was driving by and I saw your house and thought to myself, 'oh man, I wonder if Jeremy wants to come over.’ So I texted you.” That was a believable story, right? Jeremy and Michael didn't lie to each other, ever, so he would probably believe the story.

“Cool beans. What do you want to do. Video games?”

“Uh, yeah.”

He drove down the street in the direction toward his own house, but when he got to the driveway, he flew right past it. 

“Dude!” Jeremy exclaimed, “You missed your house!” Jeremy had sat straight [oh my god sorry I had to do it] up in the seat and his eyes were huge. He looked at Michael, who was already laughing.

Michael tried to conceal his grin, but Jeremy's face was too amusing. “I know,” he laughed.

Realization hit him. Jeremy groaned. “Dude, where are we going?”

“It's a surprise.” Michael turned on the radio, and Katy Perry's 'Firework’ was playing. 

“You know I hate being surprised. And now I'm nervous, man.” 

“It's a good surprise. It's like a twenty minute drive, too, so relax. You'll like it, I promise.”

Jeremy just looked out the window, ignoring him, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. Michael was very pleased with himself. He got Jeremy in the car, they were headed to the park, and his best friend hadn't completely freaked out at the word, 'surprise.’

@#$%&-+()/

It was more than a twenty minute drive. It ended up being closer to forty, and Michael was starving when they finally found the right road. At the end of the road was the park's sign (Evergreen Park and Campground) and Michael pulled into the gravel lot. 

There were only two other cars there, and one had the park logo. The other was a dark green, sort of rusty van. The kind that was normally owned by a pedophile. He parked as far away from the pedophile van as he could get.

“Will you tell me what we're doing now? I didn't bring any stuff for camping and my dad said I have to be home in a few hours. Also, do you have any food.”

Michael didn't say anything, but he did reach into the back seat and grab his backpack. 

“Iwantedtodosomethingniceforyou.”

“Heh?”

“I wanted to do something nice for you. You are always doing things for me, so… And it's just a small picnic. With all of your favorite foods.” Michael opened his backpack, and showed Jeremy all of the things he had picked up at Walmart earlier. There was a box of popcorn chicken, a box of those tiny cupcakes they both loved, and two 20 oz. cans of Mountain Dew Red. 

“Dude.”

“Yea?”

“I think I love you.”

Michael turned bright red. Of course he knew Jeremy didn't mean it like that, but he was still taken by surprise. (Heh. Puns.) If only Jeremy did mean it like that. Michael let out a nervous chuckle that sounded like a chicken, if it was being beaten over the head with a shovel.

“I know, I'm awesome. And we drove all this way so there is no chance of running into anyone we know.”

Jeremy was grinning. He grabbed their drinks, and got out of the car. “Come on, Mikey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if adding commentary in the middle of the story is confusing, but I cant help myself
> 
> Also, yes, it is implied that Michael likes Jeremy. Sorry if that was not obvious?
> 
> Also, more space in between paragraphs! Idk if I like it yet. Is it better?


	5. Baking something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no, they aren't smoking

It was a very uneventful Saturday afternoon at the Heere household. Jeremy’s dad had been napping on the couch for the past hour so Jeremy had just been watching Netflix in his room. 

About two hours ago he had texted Michael but hadn’t yet gotten a response back so he figured his best friend was just busy. He flopped over to his other side because his floor was starting to make his arm fall asleep. Recently Jeremy had started four different shows but hadn’t been able to finish them. It wasn’t that they were bad, really, but he just couldn’t concentrate on one solid plot line for more that twenty minutes at a time.

Jeremy flipped over again and groaned because his arm was definitely numb now. Maybe he should just go over and see if Michael was home. His house was only a short bike ride away. Even if he wasn’t home, Jeremy thought, he could use the exercise. 

His dad was still snoring in the living room when he left. 

Jeremy chose to go the back way after much deliberation because of all the after work traffic on the main road. If he was going to die it would be because he got hit by a dark green minivan. 

Michaels’s PT Cruiser was parked in his driveway in the same place it always was. Jeremy let himself in through the garage side door and then knocked on the inside one. He didn’t hear anything for a few seconds but then Michael called for him to come inside. 

“In the kitchen,” he called after Jeremy closed the door behind himself. 

The kitchen would have been Gordon Ramsey’s worst nightmare. There was an open bag of flour spread over the counter and at least four smashed eggs on the flour. Jeremy brushed his socks off because there was so much sugar already stuck to the bottom of them.

“Umm...What happened here?” He asked.

“Jeremy, meet Mia. My cousin,” he sighed. Micheal pushed a small girl out from behind his legs. She smiled weakly at Jeremy but didn’t look him in the eyes. “Mia, say hi. This is Jeremy. Can he help us make the cookies?”

Mia nodded. She had long dark hair and the same brown complexion as Michael. He figured she was about to enter kindergarten, or had just finished it. Jeremy gave her a little wave. 

“Anyway,” Michael said, “We should probably clean some of this up.”

“What even happened?” Jeremy replied, grabbing the roll of paper towels on the counter. 

“We're baking cookies,” Mia said quietly. 

“Yep,” Michael confirmed, gesturing to the counter. “Chocolate chip.” Mia’s smile grew. 

Jeremy wiped the spilled flour into the garbage and picked up the bag. Too late he realized that there was also something wet on the counter too, and the flour turned to paste. “Well Shi-”

“Well I think that’s probably enough cleaning for now,” Michael interrupted. “Mia, can you grab the milk.”

He shot a look at Jeremy and then when his cousin was out of earshot he said, “Dude, there is a child present.”

“I’m sorry, I forgot.” He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and gave Michael puppy dog eyes. “Can you forgive me?”

Michael raised his eyebrows. “Well, somebody’s in a good mood. I’ll forgive you if you can teach me how to make cookies.”

Jeremy looked at what they had so far and asked, “Did you do the butter and sugar first? And you melted the butter didn’t you.”

“Uh…” Michael avoided his gaze, trying not to laugh. 

“Yeah you’re going to have to start over.”

“I got it,” Mia interrupted from the garage door. “But we only have two percent.”

Michael took it from her and set the jug on the counter. “That’s perfect, Mia, thank you. Jeremy says we need to need to start over.”

“Why?”

“So they turn into cookies. Right now what we have isn’t going to taste good.”

“Ok.”

Jeremy raised his eyebrows, expecting more of a reaction. Other kids would probably have gotten upset and thrown a fit but Mia just looked at them.

“Alright,” Michael said, “Let’s do this again. Step one, Jer?”

Jermey got a new bowl from under the counter and then pointed at Mia. “Butter and sugar?”

She looked at Michael and he showed her where to get the ingredients. They did that for a while. Jeremy found a recipe on the internet and told them what to get, and then Mia mixed it all together. The only thing that went wrong was Michael’s fault when he turned the mixer to the top speed on accident and sprayed eggs everywhere, which made Mia laugh, which made them all laugh. 

They let her put the cookies onto the baking sheet before sending her to wash her hands so she wouldn't see them move some of them over to another pan. 

While they waited for the cookies to bake Mia decided she wanted to watch a Barbie movie. Michael found one that she had left during a previous visit. It wasn’t really that bad of a plot line and Jeremy kind of got into it. It was about some normal girl who was picked to go to a princess school. The logic didn’t quite make sense but Mia danced around the room to the music until the oven timer went off.

Jeremy went to take the cookies out of the oven and when he went back to the living room he found Michael spinning around in circles with his cousin. 

“They have to cool for a few minutes, so keep going,” He said when Mia looked toward the kitchen. He sat back down on his spot on the couch to watch them dance. 

After he twirled Mia one more time Michael plopped down next to him close enough that their legs touched but Jeremy didn’t move. Mia looked at them curiously but turned back to her move because Barbie had arrived at the princess school and she was automatically entranced with the huge castle. 

“Why is she here?” Jeremy whispered. 

“Her parents had to go to a wedding and then invited my moms. I offered to watch her for a day.”

“She seems pretty cool. For a kid anyway. Normally all they do is cry.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes it is,” he argued. “Every time I babysit the kid always ends up throwing a fit.”

Michael winced. “Well…”

“What?”

Michael looked away quickly. “Nothing.”

“What?” 

“You aren’t really great with kids, man.”

“Yes I am,” Jeremy argued. “Kids love me!”

“Sure.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, ok,” Michael laughed. 

Mia interrupted them. “Can we have cookies?”

“Yeah they’re probably cool now,” Michael told her. “Don’t touch the pan.”

She dashed to the kitchen out of their sight. 

“I should probably go make sure she doesn’t burn herself,” Michael said but he didn’t get up. 

Jeremy nodded in agreement. “Do you want to play video games later? We need to get past level 12.”

“I don't know when my parents are getting back. But you can stay if you want,” He offered.

“Yeah, ok. You seem to need my help with this babysitting thing anyway.”

“Excuse you, mister, we are both still alive.”

“Yeah, that’s a good thing.” He bumped Michael's shoulder with his own. “Come on, I want cookies.”


End file.
